BRISBANE: Hobart will host its first-ever Ashes Test after winning the race on Saturday to replace Perth for the fifth and final clash of the current series between Australia and England.

The Tasmanian capital beat out heavyweight competitors Sydney and Melbourne with the Test to be a day-night pink-ball affair at the 20,000-capacity Blundstone Arena from Jan 14-18.

Perth was stripped of its hosting rights earlier this week over Western Australia state’s tough Covid quarantine rules, which required players to quarantine for 14 days. There are no such regulations in Tasmania.

“The submissions we received were outstanding and we had no doubt that each of the venues that took part would have hosted a wonderful event,” said Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley.

“There were a range of considerations, including commercial, logistical and operational factors and on the balance of these, the CA board agreed on Blundstone Arena being the most appropriate venue to host the fifth Ashes Test.”

While the Sydney Cricket Ground and Melbourne Cricket Ground are bigger venues, Hobart won powerful support from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck.

It makes up for Hobart losing what would have been Australia’s first-ever Test against Afghanistan in November, which was postponed after the Taliban regime effectively banned women from playing the sport.

The first Test ended in Brisbane on Saturday. The series now moves to Adelaide, also a day-night Test, before the traditional Boxing Day Test in Melbourne followed by Sydney and Hobart.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2021